At least 16 Nigerian soldiers are missing following clashes with Boko Haram jihadists in the Lake Chad area, military and militia sources told AFP on Tuesday.

The Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) group, a faction of the Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for the attack in which it said 15 soldiers were killed, according to SITE, which tracks the online activities of terrorist organisations.

The incident began when gunmen in several trucks attacked a military base and a local market in the town of Kukawa late on Monday, briefly forcing troops out of the base.

“Our soldiers engaged the terrorists in a fierce battle following the attack,” a military officer told AFP from Maiduguri, the regional capital which lies about 180km to the south.

“So far, 16 soldiers are missing but search teams are combing the general area to locate them,” said the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.